Active Lives Survey
Understanding how the nation engages with physical activity
Active Lives Survey
Understanding how the nation engages with physical activity
The Process
The survey takes around 15 minutes to complete. Simply follow the steps provided to take part.
For each completed survey in your household, you will receive a £5 voucher!
Complete the survey online
Scan the QR code to complete on mobile or click ‘Complete the survey’ at the top of this page to complete online.
Paper option available
If you prefer, fill in the paper questionnaire and return it in the Freepost envelope. It will arrive about four weeks after your invitation letter.
Receive your £5 voucher
If you complete the survey online, you will receive your £5 voucher by email within 24 hours.
If you complete the paper questionnaire, you will receive your £5 voucher by post within six weeks.
Redeem your voucher
Use your £5 voucher online, or in-store, at a range of high street retailers. Learn more here.
Introduction
The Active Lives (Adult) Survey has been run by Ipsos since 2015 , on behalf of Sport England and partners such as the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, and the Department for Transport.
Around 175,000 people in England are randomly selected to take part each year. The survey aims to understand participation in sport and physical activity among adults aged 16 and over in England.
Results from this survey are used by local councils and the Government to track how active the nation is; identify inequalities in participation; and plan programmes and policies that help more people become active and stay healthy.
You can read more about who is conducting this survey by clicking the button below.
How the Active Lives Adult survey is making a difference
The Active Lives Adult Survey helps show how people across England are getting active – and where extra support could help more people move more often.
Highlighting where support matters most
To make sure investment goes where it’s needed most, Sport England developed the Place Need Classification (PNC). It combines Active Lives data with information on health, deprivation, and community need – helping identify areas where improving access to sport and physical activity could have the biggest impact.
This insight now guides up to £190 million of new investment in 80 locations across England, helping more people enjoy the benefits of being active.
Learn more about the PNC here.
Data driving local action
In Dorset, local partners used Active Lives insights to understand which communities were least active. Older adults and people with long-term health conditions emerged as key groups – so Active Dorset launched the Active Ageing Project, focusing on inclusive, social activities like walking groups, chair-based classes, and gentle yoga.
They’ve also supported sea swimming courses (CHILL Dorset), sailing for adults with type 2 diabetes, and wheelchair basketball – all designed using Active Lives evidence.
Regular feedback and attendance tracking mean the offer keeps improving based on what people actually need and enjoy.
Using data to move a city
The Greater Manchester Moving partnership brings together local councils, the NHS, and community organisations to help everyone be more active, every day. Using Active Lives data, the partnership tracks how activity levels differ between boroughs, age groups, and income levels. These insights drive local action – from walking groups in Oldham to workplace initiatives in Manchester.
This progress helped Greater Manchester secure £10 million in National Lottery investment as one of Sport England’s Local Delivery Pilots – proving how data can help a whole city region get moving.
Data that brings change
In Exeter and Cranbrook, local partners have used detailed Local Active Lives data to make activity more accessible to everyone. While national figures once showed Exeter as one of the most active cities in England, local data painted a different picture – with pockets of deprivation and very low activity rates.
By focusing on these areas, the Live and Move partnership (including Exeter City Council, the University of Exeter, and Devon County Council) targeted the 20 neighbourhoods most at risk of inactivity.
Programmes were designed using these insights – from inclusive community projects for ethnically diverse groups to free leisure memberships for residents on low incomes. Active lives data now shapes wider local plans, from transport to cycling and walking infrastructure.